10 Plants to Grow Once and Harvest for Years

Summary

This video highlights 10 extraordinary plants that break the rules of typical gardening. Unlike annuals that require replanting each season, these resilient crops reseed themselves, adapt to their environment, and return year after year with minimal effort. From ground cherries and self-seeding tomatoes to the versatile amaranth and heat-tolerant Malibar spinach, these plants form a self-renewing ecosystem in your garden. By working with nature, they offer reliable harvests, reduced costs, and less maintenance. Perfect for those seeking sustainable gardening solutions, this video introduces plants that make gardening easier and more rewarding.

Takeaways

• 😀 Ground cherries are self-seeding, offering a sweet-tart flavor, and require no replanting once the fruits fall to the ground.
• 😀 Tomatoes, though typically annuals, can reseed and return year after year, becoming hardier and more adapted to local conditions.
• 😀 Cuc melons are ideal for warm climates and vertical spaces, and once they drop fruits, they self-seed and reappear the next season.
• 😀 Purslane is a drought-tolerant succulent that reseeds prolifically, providing nutritious greens in unexpected places.
• 😀 Cilantro bolts quickly, but its seeds (coriander) naturally reseed and provide two harvests per year without additional planting.
• 😀 Amaranth offers both edible greens and protein-packed seeds, and it naturally reseeds, returning year after year.
• 😀 Red Malibar spinach thrives in heat and can turn vertical garden spaces into lush, edible areas while reseeding each season.
• 😀 Lettuce can self-seed if allowed to bolt and flower, regenerating without any effort from the gardener and providing greens for cooler seasons.
• 😀 Brassicas like mustard greens, arugula, and kale are prolific self-seeders, offering cold-hardy, nutrient-rich greens year after year.
• 😀 Calendula (pot marigold) is a low-maintenance flower that attracts pollinators, repels pests, and reseeds itself every season, returning in new spots.

Q & A

What are self-seeding plants and why are they beneficial in a garden?

Self-seeding plants are those that drop their seeds after flowering, which then germinate on their own without the need for replanting. They are beneficial because they reduce the amount of work and cost involved in gardening, as they adapt to the garden's microclimate and grow naturally each season.

How do ground cherries adapt to gardens and why are they considered easy to grow?

Ground cherries are easy to grow because they reseed themselves when their fruits drop to the ground. The seeds lie dormant over the winter and sprout the following spring. These plants tend to be more vigorous and adapt better to specific microclimates than plants that are replanted every season.

What is the advantage of growing tomatoes as perennials instead of annuals?

Tomatoes, when treated as perennials, reseed themselves naturally and often return with stronger growth. This makes them more drought-tolerant and better adapted to local soil and pest conditions. Over time, this creates a self-sustaining system, reducing the need for replanting and offering better harvests.

What are cuc melons, and how do they benefit a garden?

Cuc melons, also known as Mexican sour gherkins, are small, striped fruits with a cucumber-like crunch and a citrus flavor. They benefit a garden by reseeding themselves each year. With proper management, such as limiting their spread, they can thrive in small spaces and vertical gardens, making them easy to grow year after year.

Why is pcelain considered a valuable plant in a garden?

Pcelain is a drought-tolerant, self-seeding succulent that provides a steady supply of nutrient-rich greens. It grows in a variety of environments, including cracks in sidewalks and garden beds. Its ability to naturally reseed itself means it will return every year without needing to be replanted.

How does cilantro's tendency to bolt benefit gardeners?

Cilantro bolts, or flowers, quickly in hot weather, but this is actually beneficial because it forms seeds (coriander) that drop into the soil and germinate when the conditions are right. This allows cilantro to return each season without the need for reseeding, providing multiple harvests throughout the year.

What makes amaranth a great plant for a low-maintenance garden?

Amaranth is a self-seeding plant that produces both edible greens and protein-rich seeds. Once planted, it will reseed itself each year, often in better spots. Its hardy nature and dual-purpose yield make it a low-maintenance and highly productive addition to any garden.

Why is red Malibar spinach considered ideal for small gardens?

Red Malibar spinach thrives in hot, humid conditions and grows quickly on vertical surfaces like fences or trellises. Its ability to reseed itself and return every year makes it a reliable and space-efficient plant for small gardens, particularly in warm climates.

How does lettuce become a reliable self-seeding crop in a garden?

Lettuce, when allowed to bolt and form seeds, can produce new generations each season. The seeds lie dormant until the conditions are right, such as fall rains or cooler spring temperatures, allowing gardeners to enjoy fresh lettuce without needing to replant every year.

What are the benefits of growing brassicas like kale and mustard greens in a self-sustaining garden?

Brassicas such as kale and mustard greens are prolific self-seeders. Once allowed to flower and produce seeds, they return in the right conditions, usually in cooler weather. By letting a few plants go to seed each year, gardeners can create a continuous supply of nutritious greens without having to replant.